Carriage-top



S. T. HUNTINGTON.

Carriage-Top.

Patented June 20, 1854.

SOLOMON T. HUNTINGTON, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

CARRIAGE-TOP.

Specification of Letters Patent N 0. 11,126, dated June 20, 1854.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, SOLOMON T. HUNT- INGTON, of the city of Syracuse, county of Onondaga, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Carriage-Tops and the Fixtures Thereto; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference thereon marked.

No. 1, shows a back elevation of the seat and top; No. 2, a side elevation of the same. No. 3 is a perspective of the same, the top being contracted and dropped. No. 4: is a side elevation of the same with the top contracted'but not dropped.

A representsthe seat; 6, the top; 0, the inverted bow; (Z, the arm; 6, the coil or curved end of the arm; 7, the stays for sup porting the top when dropped; 9, a catch for holding the inverted bow in its place; h, stays for holding the bows ofthe top in proper position.

a shows the connection of the inverted bow with the back bow of the top.

My invention has reference to the kind of tops in common use and known as bow or, calash tops and consists in sustaining the top in an upright position by. a support inside of the cover of the top attached to or resting upon the back of the seat and made fast to the back bow of the top, at suitable points. This support may be immovably attached tothe back of the seat not permitting the top to fall or it may be movable and permit the dropping of the top as usual.

For this purpose I use a bow like the bows forming the top. I place this bow upon the back of the seat in an inverted position and attach its ends firmly to the back bow of the top as shown in the drawings. The top is dropped by detaching this inverted bow backward from the back of theseat and supported in its proper position when dropped by flexible or elastic stays, attached to the bow and to the back of the seat at suitable points. In connection with the aforesaid arrangement I use on the outside of the top one pair of jointed arms extending from the back to the front bow of the top by which I spread or contract the whole breadth of the top at a single movement, while at the same time the back of the top may retain its upright position, as shown in the drawings at No. 4:.

I extend the forward ends (6) of the jointed braces (d) in front of the forward bow thereby forming a lever or handle that may be reached by a person in the carriage, and by pressing the handle downward the center of the jointed brace is thrown upward, and the top backward. The pivot by which the jointed brace is attached to the front bow becomes the fulcrum of the lever or handle (6) for throwing the brace.

In attaching the bows to the front of the secured to me by Letters Patent are the following, viz:

1. I claim the method of supporting the top by means of an inverted bow inside the covering of the top and attached to or standing upon the back of the seat and having its ends firmly attached to the back bow of the top, or any other analogous device effecting the same object.

2. In connection with this I claim the method of dropping the top by detaching this bow from the back of the seat, and supporting it in proper position when dropped. by flexible or elastic stays as shown in the drawing.

3. I also claim the extension of the jointed brace forward of the front bow in such a manner as to form a handle or lever within reach of a person in the carriage, and by which the brace may be worked substantially as described.

SOLOMON T. HUNTINGTON.

Witnesses:

BRADLEY CARY, ROBERT E, ROBERTSON. 

